The protest was organized by 30-year-old Rachel Rainbolt who said that in April she was discriminated against by a teacher who told Rainbolt that breast-feeding her 1-year-old son during a parent-teacher conference was inappropriate.

Rainbolt said she home schools her eldest son, then 7, and meets once a week with a teacher to discuss the child’s progress. The meeting was held in a classroom at Meadowbrook Middle School in Poway. The only people in the room were the female teacher, Rainbolt, and her two sons.

Rainbolt said when she began breast-feeding her younger son the teacher looked “horrified” and told her what she was doing was inappropriate.

She said the next day she got a call from the district saying her older son could no longer attend a monthly group presentation class because of the incident.

Rainbolt filed a complaint with the state based on California law that allows breast-feeding in public, but the state’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing sided with the school district, she said.

Poway Superintendent John Collins issued a news release during the protest.

“As a school district, we are responsible for educating all students regarding their rights and responsibilities as citizens. Today is evidence of a group of individuals exercising these rights,” the statement read.

The release said the district has not received an official decision from the state regarding Rainbolt’s complaint.

“Despite reports to the contrary, no student was punished or denied access to any educational experience in this situation,” Collins said in the release. “This matter brings to light the important decisions that our teachers are required to make every day to ensure that all students are provided a productive and engaging learning environment in their classroom.

“Our No. 1 priority is providing quality learning for every child,” the statemend said. “For these reasons, we appreciate that today’s gathering is taking place at our District Office, rather than on a school campus.”

Rainbolt said the nurse-in was designed to pressure the school district to create a specific policy saying that what she did during the meeting was allowed.

The district’s statement said the Board of Education has already adopted policies and procedures to ensure that the district operates in compliance with state and federal laws.